this post was submitted on 04 Oct 2026
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Hate to tell you this, but cars have been like this for about 15 years now.
Been a long time since ol Joe at the gas station could fill the tank and tune your carburetor with a screwdriver.
Yes but other cars can be repaired at any mechanic rather than just at a dealer, which is the issue we were talking about above.
I am well aware of the computerization of cars, how carburetors have not been a thing for more like 30 years, and how generally electric vehicles are better than combustion ones but both are worse than public transit.
I have a seven year old Volvo.
It cannot be repaired at a mechanic beyond simple mechanical things. Everything else has to pass through a Volvo dealer because they locked down their software (Vida) and regular mechanics COULD buy it, but it would cost them several thousand dollars a year for the subscription. Unless they are going to specialize, it's not worth it. I cannot drop my car off at joe's garage.
There's no real difference between ICE and electrics in that regard. You can still do basic repairs to an electric like brakes, tires, suspension, etc.
My fears are software/firmware issues or battery pack failure. It’s an impossible problem for the common man to solve and you are beholden to the manufacturer. And at what cost? Minor accident? Manufacturer declares it unfixable and deactivates it. Doesn’t even matter if you repair it. Boo!
I really want one, but I can still repair my current car myself if needed.
The problem, as ever, isn't the concept of an electric vehicle, it is the companies
No, you cannot roadside repair a car with a broken timing chain or clogged catalytic converter, or broken transmission.
What the hell does that have to do with anything? It is trivial to tow a standard car to my home and effect those repairs almost immediately. Just order the parts.
What about the EV? None of the above can easily be done.